Dylan Gambrell expected to play on Sharks' top line with Tomas Hertl and Evander Kane in Wednesday's preseason game vs. Calgary Flames

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San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (7) watches the puck during the first full training camp practice at Solar4America Ice Arena in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)

ST. LOUIS, MO – MAY 21: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) stops a shot in front of San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (7) in the third period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference finals at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo., on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – MAY 21: Jordan Binnington #50 of the St. Louis Blues gives up a goal to Dylan Gambrell #7 of the San Jose Sharks during the second period in Game Six of the Western Conference Finals during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Enterprise Center on May 21, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (7) is congratulated on his goal by San Jose Sharks’ Evander Kane (9) against the St. Louis Blues in the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference finals at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo., on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (7) receives during the first full training camp practice at Solar4America Ice Arena in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (7) takes a shot during the first full training camp practice at Solar4America Ice Arena in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)

ST. LOUIS, MO – MAY 21: San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (7) scores a goal against the St. Louis Blues in the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference finals at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo., on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

SAN JOSE, CA – MARCH 31: San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (7) and San Jose Sharks’ Joonas Donskoi (27) fight for the puck against Calgary Flames’ Travis Hamonic (24) in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday, March 31, 2019. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (14) shoots the puck against St. Louis Blues’ Ryan O’Reilly (90) in the first period of their NHL match at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, March 9, 2019. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)

Edmonton Oilers’ Oscar Klefbom (77) and San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (14) watch a flying puck during the second period of a NHL game at Rogers Place in Edmonton, on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. Photo by Ian Kucerak/Postmedia

Sharks center Dylan Gambrell (14) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Jake Bischoff (45) vie for the puck during the second period of Saturday’s preseason game in San Jose. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Dylan Gambrell (14) of the San Jose Sharks in action against the Colorado Avalanche at SAP Center on April 5, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Dylan Gambrell (7) of the Denver Pioneers advances against Bobby Nardella (27) of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during game two of the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Championship Semifinal at the United Center on April 6, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

San Jose Sharks’ Dylan Gambrell (14) takes a shot against the Dallas Stars in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

SAN JOSE — At the time, it could have either been considered a tough spot to be in or a golden opportunity. Sharks forward Dylan Gambrell chose the latter.

With Tomas Hertl, not to mention Joe Pavelski and Erik Karlsson, injured and unable to play in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final, Gambrell was suddenly thrust into the lineup as the Sharks’ third line center in an elimination game against the St. Louis Blues.

The decimated Sharks lost 5-1 to the Blues, but Gambrell came away from the experience with a little more confidence than before. Playing alongside Evander Kane and Joonas Donskoi in just his second NHL postseason game, Gambrell scored the Sharks’ only goal, ripping a wrist shot just inside the far post past goalie Jordan Binnington midway through the second period.

“It was big for my confidence,” Gambrell said of his first NHL goal, regular season or playoffs. “Kind of get the monkey off the back there. It just gave me a lot of confidence going into this year.”

A spot on the Sharks’ roster once the regular season gets underway next month is anything but a guarantee at this point for Gambrell, a 2016 second round draft pick. At 23 with just 11 NHL regular season games under his belt, he’s still waivers-exempt and might even benefit from more time in the AHL.

But it’s clear the Sharks want to give him every chance to succeed, and just like that night at Enterprise Center four months ago, he’s hoping to take advantage of the extended look in an important role.

Gambrell was expected to play right wing a line with Hertl and Kane — the same spot he’s been since the start of training camp — for the Sharks’ preseason game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night.

“He’s skilled, and a righty, too, which we kind need a little bit,” said Hertl, who also started his NHL career as a winger after he was drafted as a center, of Gambrell. “You can talk to him very easily. Great guy, and hopefully we get a couple games together so we can build some chemistry and maybe start the season together.”

With Pavelski and Gus Nyquist departing via free agency, the Sharks are searching for right wingers to take steps forward and grab NHL jobs this preseason. Jonny Brodzinski, Joachim Blichfeld, Lukas Radil and Sasha Chmelevski are also in the mix.

Gambrell has mostly been a center in recent years, but it might be a tad easier for him to establish himself in the NHL on the wing.

“It’s an opportunity for him,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said of Gambrell playing the wing in the top six forward group. “I don’t know if that’ll be the role or not. But right now, he’s getting an opportunity to play with two real good players and get a really good look. What he does with that it up to him.”

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Gambrell spent most of 2018-19 with the Barracuda, finishing second on the team with 20 goals in 51 games. He was held off the scoresheet in eight games with the Sharks, with his ice time ranging from 5:38 to 13:03.

He said last season that at times with the Sharks he was maybe thinking too much on the ice, instead of just playing and being more instinctual. That’s something he wants to correct this season.

“For me, it’s just playing fast and being more assertive,” Gambrell said. “I think I have most of the tools, but for me it’s just going out there and doing it and being assertive, winning battles.”

Gambrell said he played on the wing quite a bit growing up, including his sophomore season at the University of Denver in 2016-17 when he finished with 42 points in 38 games.

“He worked in the summer a lot and he wants to take another step,” Hertl said of Gambrell. “He wants to be here the full year. He doesn’t want to be up and down. He’s ready to step up and I’ll try to help him on the ice. If he doesn’t know something, I will for sure try to let him know.”

DeBoer liked the way Gambrell played alongside Hertl and Kane in both of the Sharks’ intra-squad games Sunday and Monday.

“He’s skating well,” DeBoer said. “I think not having the responsibility of all the details of playing center, at this level right now, has probably freed him up a little bit to create a little bit more, and that’s a good thing.”

“There’s a lot of guys that are fighting for those spots,” Gambrell said. “I’m trying to give myself the best shot and just go out there and work every day. Put myself in a position where they want to keep me around and keep me in the lineup.”